Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown law student who testified before Congress on contraception, is flanked by Congresswoman Diana DeGette, left, and Elbra Wedgeworth, Chief Government and Community Relations Officer at Denver Health, during a panel discussion on Women and the Affordable Care Act at the History Colorado Center in Denver, CO, Thursday, March 22, 2012. Know Your Care Colorado and partner groups hosted the a panel discussion on how the Affordable Care Act helps protect womenÕs health. It is the second anniversary of the Act. The panel included also included Anna Benyo, Senior Policy Analyst at the National WomenÕs Law Center and Sonji Wilkes, a local mother. Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post

Fluke spoke at an event called “The Affordable Care Act Two Years In: A Discussion on Women’s Health” held at the new Colorado History Center and organized by a group called Know Your Care, which touts the benefits of the federal Affordable Care Act. The event featured a panel discussion that also included U.S. Rep. Diana Degette, D-Denver, and which focused heavily on the federal law’s effect on contraception and women’s health care coverage.

Fluke became nationally known after testifying before Congress in favor of insurance coverage for contraception and then subsequently getting called a “slut” and a “prostitute” by Limbaugh. He later apologized for those remarks, which cost him advertisers and which many conservatives condemned.

Democrats have since seized on that incident and other episodes to accuse Republicans of a “war on women.” Fluke said she’d just hoped to focus attention on women’s health by testifying before Congress.

“If it takes a radio scandal, I’ll take it,” she said. “At least we’re talking about it.”

In her comments, Fluke also cited Colorado legislation, Senate Memorial 3, which supports the Congressional “Respect for Rights of Conscience Act” which would allow employers and insurers not to cover health services they find objectionable on religious grounds. The local legislation, which is pending before a state Senate committee, is sponsored by Sen. Tim Neville, R-Littleton, whom Fluke referred to by name.

Asked later about her comments, Neville shrugged them off, saying, “I’m all for the First Amendment and all for the right of conscience.”

Speaking with reporters after the event, Fluke also responded to a tweet from state Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, who said, “Ms Fluke, I don’t want to buy your booze, pay for your spring break or your birth control. Call your Dad for that.”

Brophy also described birth control not used for medical purposes as “purely recreational.”

Fluke offered a response: “To say that preventing unintended pregnancies is not a legitimate health goal is very short-sighted because we know that unintended pregnancies are difficult for our society. No, I would not characterize it as recreational.”

Brophy said Fluke had “become a celebrity.” He said she had chosen to go to Georgetown law school because its campus health plan did not cover contraception.

“She chose, on purpose, to go to Georgetown law school so that she could be a victim,” Brophy said. “That’s like moving to the airport and then complaining about the noise.”

Fluke acknowledged being an activist on women’s health issues but said her choice of college was based on quality and affordability.

“I was aware they did not cover contraception prior to my enrollment,” she said. “It was not the reason I attended Georgetown, but I simply refused to give up on the quality education that I thought I would get there in exchange for my health care. I don’t think I should have ever been faced with that choice, and I hope that soon, other women who attend Georgetown will not be faced with that choice, either.”

Eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 were closed Saturday afternoon at Georgetown due to a semitrailer fire, the Colorado Department of Transportation tweeted. The right lane remains closed, while the other lanes have since reopened. Drivers can expect heavy delays, transportation officials said. The fire initially closed both sides of the interstate as smoked crossed the highway. The load on the...